Jennifer Wider--

Women are often the primary caretakers of their family's health, but when it comes to their own needs, they often relegate themselves to the bottom of the priority list. But studies have consistently shown that when women make the time to take better care of themselves, the benefits trickle down to the entire family.  

This year, National Women's Health Week kicks off on Mother's Day, May 11, and runs through Saturday, May 17. The national observance empowers women to take better care of their own health.

“It is important to be a well-informed advocate for your own health,” says Jo Parrish, vice president of communications for the Society for Women’s Health Research, a Washington, D.C., based advocacy organization. “No one knows your body and your personal and family history as well as you do. 

Your health and the quality of care you receive is a shared responsibility between you and your health care providers. National Women's Health Week encourages women to make their health a priority and to take steps toward a healthier life.”

According to the Society for Women’s Health Research, there are five key health tests every woman needs at various stages of life to stay healthy:

• Blood pressure and cholesterol screening for heart disease prevention
  
  
• Pap test for cervical cancer screening
  
  
• Mammogram to detect breast cancer when it is most treatable
  
  
• Colonoscopy to prevent and detect colon cancer
  
  
• Annual skin examination to prevent and detect skin cancer

Many women aren’t aware of the health issues they may face at different times in their lives and instead focus on reproductive and gynecologic health issues. 

“When people talk about women's health, they're often focused on reproductive health,” Parrish said. “That’s a big part of women's health, but it doesn't tell the full story. Women's health can differ from men's health in almost every area. Take heart disease, for example. It strikes women, on average, 10 years later than men and women often experience different symptoms associated with a heart attack. That’s why you should always ask yourself how being a woman instead of a man may uniquely affect your symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of disease.”

Familiarizing yourself with your family’s health history and keeping copies of your own medical records that includes tests and medications can go a long way in safeguarding your health now and in the future. Also knowing what screenings are available and recommended can make a big difference, too. 

The “National Women’s Check-up Day Pledge” is a major focus of women’s health week. Women are encouraged to schedule at least one of the recommended health screenings within the next 90 days by submitting an online pledge.  

“You can submit your pledge online through the official women's health week Web site—www.womenshealth.gov/whw/—where you can also find a list of recommended health screenings for your age group,” Parrish said.

In addition to taking the pledge, women can also sign up for the WOMAN Challenge, which stands for “Women and Girls Out Moving Across the Nation.” It is an eight-week physical activity challenge for better health.

Related: Organ Donation: A Crisis Among Minorities

             Is It The Baby Blues or Postpartum Depression

Linda Spangle, RN, MA, is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans.

Guest Blogger Linda Spangle--

A TRUE STORY:

Carol dreaded Mother's Day. Last year, as the holiday was approaching, she told me that she anticipated the same story as always. Her three grown kids would be extremely busy and wrapped up in their own lives. If she was lucky, she might get a couple of cards, although they'd probably arrive a day late. What Carol really yearned for each year was that her kids would call and actually wish her a happy day. But... they rarely did.

Typically, as the day wore on with no word from the kids, Carol's anger and resentment would grow. Eventually she'd start digging through the refrigerator for something to help her forget that her children were so "selfish and ungrateful."

As we talked, Carol began to see that she was overeating for a pretty silly reason. Since being angry at her kids never changed the outcome, she wanted a new plan that might give her what she really wanted, which was to hear some warmth and appreciation.

So rather than waiting for her own phone to ring on Mother's Day, I asked her to call her children instead. Her goal was to let each of them know she loved and appreciated them and how they brought joy to her life. For the next week, she thought carefully about what she would say. She even wrote a script to make sure she stayed positive and didn't slip into blaming or scolding.

On Mother's Day, she woke up feeling excited and ready to put her plan into action. In the early afternoon, she called each of the kids, then used her script to keep focused on them instead of on her own needs. With each one, she also shared a specific childhood memory that always made her smile and finished the call by saying "I love you."

The result was amazing. Of course, her kids enjoyed and appreciated her calls. But the biggest difference was in Carol herself. She discovered an empowerment and satisfaction she hadn't felt in years. And the best part was, she completely escaped the problem with overeating that she'd done in the past.

Twist your day around

This year, as you make your plans, take a fresh approach to Mother's Day. This might include spending time with a special person or showing extra love toward someone you care about. Or maybe, like Carol, you'll simply reach out to your own children with affection and appreciation for their presence in your life.

Regardless of your current situation with your mother, children, step children or perhaps even sadness because you've lost your mother, turn your energy away from yourself and reach out to someone else. Use your ability to love and appreciate others to brighten the day and make a difference for someone else.

Without there having been a mother somewhere, you wouldn't be reading this. So now it's your turn. Instead of using food to replace what you might be missing in life, take the focus off yourself, and send some love back into the world.

Related:  Wanting To Lose Weight, But Not Doing It?

               Food Won't Take Away The Pain

Susan G. Komen for the Cure CEO Hala Moddelmog just finished testifying before a special hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on the need for comprehensive legislation to address the nation's cancer crisis.

Appearing alongside cancer advocates including Elizabeth Edwards and Lance Armstrong, Hala emphasized the need for comprehensive action against cancer. "It is time to unleash the amazing powers of science, technology and medicine on finding radical new breakthroughs in early detection...as we discover new breakthroughs in early detection and treatments, we can claim an amazing victory over cancer."

A six-year cancer survivor, Moddelmog also stressed the importance of early detection and the need to invest in research that could lead to early detection methods for all types of cancers. And she delivered a strong message that Congress needs to hear: "early detection is the closest thing we have to a cure in many cancers today, so it is time to let nothing stand in the way of finding a cure..."

Want to read more of Hala's testimony? Click here.

Throughout her testimony, Moddelmog painted a vision of a future where scientists have discovered the critical biomarkers that enable doctors to detect cancer in a person's body with a simple blood test, and where personalized treatments have been developed so effectively that cancer can be fought with a patient-friendly injection or pill, with limited side-effects.

But she also reminded us all that ending breast cancer forever is about more than just science. Pointing to disparities in access to care and mortality rates, she cautioned that as science surges, the gap in access will only widen without a comprehensive approach to cancer care. "The truth is, the treatments we have today do not even reach all Americans, so as we unleash the science to find the cures, we also must close the gaps. We must make early detection and personalized treatments available to all."

Hala also emphasized the need for more action, challenging Congress to help achieve our vision, and pledged the support of Komen and the cancer community as a whole.

Hala's testimony was a major step forward in our fight for more funding for research and detection. Because of your continued work and support, I know we will succeed. Thank you.

More Recent Medical News

International Fitness Expert, Tracey Mallett has become a fitness icon to millions of moms and working women across the world. Being a mother of two young children Tracey knows how easy it is to lose sight of one’s identity and self-confidence with life’s daily stresses, and what it takes to get back into shape. She has made it her mission to help and motivate women to find their path to weight loss success with quick, simple, practical healthy solutions and sound nutrition. She is the author of Sexy in 6 and the star of the accompanying DVD’s 6 Minute QuickBlast Method Videos-- designed to deliver results in just 6 weeks.

Tracey reaches over 21 million viewers who watch her workouts on Exercise TV and her suggestions about prenatal fitness appear on BabyCenter.com as their prenatal exercise expert. She has been featured in Pilates Style, Shape, Fitness Magazine, Women's Health, Fit Pregnancy, SELF, Fit Yoga, OK!, and Muscle and Fitness.

Originally from England, Tracey studied at London's premier theatre school, Italia Conti (former alumni include Tracey Ulman and Naomi Campbell). She now lives in S. Pasadena, Los Angeles and owns ATP Specific Training and Physical Therapy. Tracey is a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of American (AFAA). She is also a certified sports nutritionist with the National Academy of Sports Nutrition (NASN), Master Pilates Instructor for Rael Isacowitz (Body Arts and Science) and was certified through his program and the Pilates Physical Mind Institute in Santa Fe. She is now working on her second book Sexy Fit Momma covering pre-natal and body after baby challenge due out for Mother’s Day 2009.

Guest Blogger Tracey Mallett--

Everyday I feel so blessed to be in a profession that inspires people to be the best that they can be. I suppose you could say I’m one of those lucky people who found their true calling in life. Originally from England, I moved to the USA to be with my husband in 1996. I’m a fitness expert, mother of two very energetic children and an owner of ATP Specific Training, a wellness facility in South Pasadena.

Balance is especially hard for women because we’re so wrapped up in everyone else’s needs that we forget about our own. Yet, if we don’t take care of our own health, who will be there for our children? This brings me to why I wrote Sexy in 6.

After the birth of my first child Amber and a 55 pound weight gain I totally lost all my confidence and personal goals in life. It seemed almost as if I had lost my identity. I certainly didn’t know whose body I was looking at in the mirror—it couldn’t be mine, could it? Unfortunately, I was so overwhelmed like most women when placed in this situation that I chose to ignore it. Yes, me a fitness expert. How can that be? Well believe it or not I’m just human and face the same issues and insecurities that most women face on a daily basis. The only difference is that I used my knowledge to create a non-intimidating weight loss plan that talks to women on their level.

I will always remember the day I was standing in front of a mirror trying on bathing suits for the first time post-baby, and looking at myself, thinking “Oh, it’s not so bad. After all I’m a Mom now, this is what my body is supposed to look like.” As soon as this thought went through my head I knew it was time to take action and get on a new plan to fit into my new life with children.

Using myself as a guinea pig, Sexy in 6 was conceived. It’s not a gimmick, just a play on words. I don’t believe in gimmicks because they rarely ever work – especially for the long term. By breaking the workouts into small six-minute chunks it was far easier for me and other women to digest and commit. To further refine the program I created a study group that consisted of ninety women, ranging in ages from 24-60 years old. They performed three, six-minute workouts a day, five to six days a week. The mini workouts could be spread throughout the day or done all together depending on their schedule. The idea was for the workouts to fit into their lives, not take away from what little precious time they had. All the workouts in Sexy in 6 are designed around interval training with a simple combination of strength training and short bursts of higher intensity exercises. Interval training is alternating short, fast bursts of intensive exercise with slow, less intense exercise often called steady state. Interval training works both the aerobic and the anaerobic system.

We’ve all been pre-programmed to think that long, low intensity workouts of up to an hour a day are the way to go to burn the most amount of fat. Well, I’m here to blow that myth right out of the water. During the high intensity effort the anaerobic system uses the energy stored in the muscles (glycogen) for short bursts of activity. Anaerobic metabolism works without oxygen. The by-product is lactic acid, which is related to the burning sensation felt in the muscles during high intensity efforts. During the high intensity interval, lactic acid builds and the athlete enters oxygen debt. During the recovery phase the heart and lungs work together to 'pay back' this oxygen debt and break down the lactic acid. It is in this phase that the aerobic system is in control, using oxygen to convert stored carbohydrates into energy. After repetitive training the body begins to build new capillaries and is more efficient at taking in oxygen and delivering valuable oxygen to the working muscles. This process is called adaptation response.

Over time the muscles will develop a higher tolerance to the build-up of lactate (the byproduct of high intensity training which causes the muscles to cramp and get sore), also the heart muscle is significantly strengthened. Overall, all these changes will result in a higher improved performance with the cardiovascular system and according to the American College of Sports Medicine, more calories are burned in short, high intensity exercise. So basically in a nutshell and plain old English, interval workouts enable you to work harder burning more calories and fat; not just when you’re exercising but when you have your butt firmly planted on the couch. Now as a busy working Mom this sounds very appealing: more for less time!

Obviously exercise alone is not going to get your dream body, your diet is extremely important and that’s why Sexy in 6 has an easy plan that takes the guesswork out of what to eat to stay healthy and trim, and empowers you to make the right choices for life. First, as a nation, we have to get a grip on our food portions. Can you believe food portions have almost doubled in the past twenty years? No wonder we have an obesity epidemic and it’s not just in adults but children too. It’s time to get back to the basics: energy in equals energy expended—a simple equation to find the healthiest, sexiest you. Sexy in 6 will definitely give you a refreshing, simple, fun plan that can be implemented into any busy life style. You owe it to yourself and your family to be Sexy in 6. So go on what are you waiting for? Get your sneakers on!

More Fitness Experts    More Weight Loss Advice

Commencing June 1 you’ll have the opportunity to take part in another Summer Clutter Challenge at www.oprah.com

For ten weeks you’ll have an opportunity to tackle all those projects around your home that you just haven’t had time to get to – until now! Room by room we’ll together tackle the clutter that you’re struggling with.

Each week there’ll be an opportunity to share your photos or videos of your specific project, to post messages and ideas on our discussion boards and to get some advice from me to help keep things headed in the right direction.

Keep an eye on www.oprah.com and register there for the summer challenge.

Summer’s here – it’s time to get rid of that clutter once and for all!

Declutter Your Life and Feel Free

Does My Kitchen Make My Butt Look Fat?

Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?

is a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of clinical experience. The author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist (HarperCollins, July '07), she is "America's Most Trusted Pharmacist," and has helped millions of patients in various clinical settings, such as retail, hospital, nursing home pharmacies, and through her nationally syndicated column, "Dear Pharmacist."  A former spokesperson for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Suzy Cohen is a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine, The Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists and The American Pharmacists Association.  You can subscribe to Suzy's free weekly newsletter or ask her a question at her

Guest Blogger Suzy Cohen--

QUESTION: I have difficulty swallowing pills. Is there a trick to get one down, especially the time released ones which have to be swallowed whole. Please help me and others with this problem. H.H., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

ANSWER: I can empathize with you—I’ve counted out many horse pills in the pharmacy. Getting medicine into your pets is far easier because they’ll swallow anything as long as you wrap it in bologna! I’d actually like to speak with someone at Big Pharma regarding my invention of Viagra Cheese Sticks and Amoxicillin Matzah Balls. Since they are clearly behind the times, consider these strategies to help you swallow:

With capsules, tip your head down with your chin toward your chest because capsules tend to float. With tablets, tilt your head backwards to get the pill(s) as far back in your throat as possible.

Drink some water or juice before swallowing, this wets your mouth so the pills don’t stick. Soda or sparkling water works well because the fizz is distracting.

If gagging is the problem, try to ease your anxiety with deep breathing or an affirmation like “I can swallow these pills with ease.” Eating helps because food is huge compared to pills so it’s a good primer. As a young 20-something, I had trouble swallowing tiny pills, but today I’m able to gulp 6-8 vitamins at once, so I know the problem can be conquered.

Spray ‘n Swallow is a product that contains 100 percent natural oils and flavors which coat your pills and make them glide down easily. ( www.spraynswallow.com )

If your medication is crushable, then mix it with pudding, yogurt or applesauce. Ask your local pharmacist to see if your medicine is crushable and whether or not it can be mixed with dairy foods. Never crush Oxycontin, or any medication that ends in initials such as XR, CD, ER, TR or TD.

Ask your pharmacist about substitutions. For example, the anti-diabetic medication called “metformin” is quite large, but it’s available as a flavored liquid called “Riomet.” By the way, metformin often causes weight loss, not weight gain as stated previously.

Here’s a secret from behind the counter, virtually any medicine can be made into a flavored liquid, cream or patch by a compounding pharmacist. Just ask your doctor to phone the compounding pharmacy and they will design your perfect formula.

Readers: I am interested in hearing from you if you’ve suffered from the Drug Mugger effect of medicines and found relief with vitamins. For example, if you take a cholesterol drug which depletes CoQ10, and you now take this nutrient to ease your muscle pain, I want to know. Or if you take B vitamins to replenish what acid blockers or hormones mug from you, then email your testimonial to info@dearpharmacist.com .

More From Suzy Cohen

Gary Vaynerchuk (VAY NER CHUK), a 32 year old self-trained wine expert who is revolutionizing the wine industry. His webcast, The Thunder Show, on WineLibrary attracts over 60,000 viewers each day and his email queue typically holds 1,000 messages from obsessed fans, self-named “Vayniacs." Gary’s cult-like following is the result of his unconventional, often irreverent commentary on wine. He routinely pans popular wines (even ones he sells at his 3-story New Jersey store, Wine Library). He interrupts his webcasts with rants about his beloved New York Jets. This is not your typical wine expert.

As the youngest winner of Marketwatch’s Business Award, Market Watch Leader at 27 and his first book coming out this spring--101 Wines Guaranteed To Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder To Your World, Gary Vaynerchuk is an icon in his industry. In addition to stellar “street cred” among his fans, Gary is also highly respected in the wine industry and the corporate world. “Wine is a dynamic category that offers a new set of flavors and standards each year. There is so much to learn and appreciate regardless of price.” Gary’s unique identity as both a wine expert and a “real person” has reinvented the concept of wine tasting for a new generation.

Guest Blogger Gary Vaynerchuk--

As I say all the time, nothing is more important to me than the health and happiness of my family and friends. I’m passionate about wine, especially because of the way it brings people together. When you think about it, what’s better than good company, good conversation, and some great wine? Fortunately, in moderation, wine also happens to be part of a healthy lifestyle… wines that bring the thunder can also be good for you!

I am definitely not a doctor, but much has been said and written about the potential positive impact of wine on health. The famous insight was the so-called French Paradox, in which researchers speculated that the health and long lifespan of the French (despite diets rich in foods high in fat content and cholesterol) could be attributed to wine consumption during meals. Great news! Since then mounting evidence has shown that wine (especially red wine) may increase good cholesterol and reduce bad cholesterol. Wine can also improve digestion and may reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, and stroke. What I can more personally speak to is the positive impact wine has had on my mind and attitude. A few glasses of wine with food is relaxing, improves my mood, and rejuvenates me.

I frequently am asked what wine is the healthiest, which wine is the best for your heart, and so on. The information about specific grapes seems inconclusive to me at best, but I’ve read a lot about Cannonau as a particularly heart-healthy wine. Cannonau is the Italian version of Grenache and is most prominently found in wines from Sardinia. These wines do frequently bring thunder and are great with food, so I’m comfortable recommending them, regardless of their health impact.

With all this in mind, what can you do to explore everything the wine world has to offer and stay healthy at the same time? Here are my quick tips for a healthy approach to wine:

- Stay under control. This surprises many, but I have been drunk very few times in my life. In addition to being my personal preference, moderation is by far the healthy choice! Practice moderation and you’ll enjoy your wine more, your company more, and stay healthy at the same time!

- Enjoy wine in good company with food. To me the best way to enjoy wine healthfully is to share it with friends over dinner. You’ll enhance your enjoyment of the food, improve your mood, and experience all the other health benefits above. I always have wine on the dinner table but almost never drink alone.

- Variety is the spice of life. So many people drink the same old wines time and again. My advice? Stay out of a rut and try different things! I always encourage people to expand their palate and try different grapes from different parts of the world. Ever tried a Greco di Tufo? Pic St. Loup? Torrontes? I find exploration intellectually stimulating--it keeps the mind and body fresh!

BACKSTORY:

Gary Vaynerchuk's roots in wine tasting come honestly – his Russian immigrant parents owned a liquor store when he was growing up. Bored at the cash register, Gary began reading The Wine Spectator and other books about wine, realizing that collecting wine offered an allure similar to his previous hobby of collecting baseball cards. As a teenager, tasting wine was legally impossible, so Gary set out to train his palate “backwards." To study various flavors associated with wine, Gary tasted obscure fruits and vegetables, along with earthly influences, including grass, dirt, rocks, tobacco and wood. “I probably consumed more New Jersey grass in my teens than any lawn mower.” By familiarizing himself with the numerous tastes that contributed to a specific wine, Gary was able to detect subtleties that an ordinary palate wouldn’t recognize.

With a wealth of knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit, Gary spent every weekend of his college years at his parents’ store, rebranding the family business as Wine Library and establishing himself as a respected expert. As the store’s only wine buyer, he sampled every wine that entered the store. Customers depended on Gary for his advice and within a four year time period, Wine Library grew from a $4 million dollar business to a $40 million business.

What raised Gary’s notoriety even more than his business acumen was his foresight. Inspired by sites such as youtube.com and facebook.com, Gary leveraged technology to reach an untapped audience. His daily 20 minute webcasts caught the attention of a demographic new to wine and eager to learn. Within a short time, beer sales were outpaced by wine and Gary was spotting wine at Giants Stadium tailgate gatherings and Superbowl parties. While his youthful following broke down barriers in the wine industry, the business world (and Web 2.0) admired Gary for creating a new generation of branding, focusing on the internet.

Related: What's In Your Wine Glass?

              Review of The Bonus Years Diet

Dr. Michel Noir is a cognitive psychologist with a creative background, including having authored 15 books on subjects ranging from art to mysteries to cognitive exercises. He previously had a distinguished career in government and received his Graduate Diploma, Advanced Graduate Diploma, and Master’s in Public Law from Paris Law Faculty. He later received an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Political Science and a Ph.D in Educational Sciences from Lyon II University. Dr. Noir is the CEO of Happy Neuron www.happy-neuron.com.

Guest Blogger Michel Noir--

As the 78 million baby boomers in the U.S. turn 60 and the prevalence of diseases like Alzheimer’s continues to grow, the idea of using brain fitness programs to keep minds healthy and sharp has become wildly popular.

Naturally, the concept of exercising one’s mind brings up many important questions. Following are some of the most common questions that I, and my colleagues at Happy Neuron, receive that will hopefully provide you with the necessary information you need to get started on a brain fitness regime of your own.

1) What are the primary benefits of staying mentally active, beyond typical daily functions?

The first benefit of staying mentally active is being cognitively alert and viable for longer in life. That includes having good memorization and thinking skills, efficient visual processing and perfect oral and written understanding. Remaining mentally active is essential for our daily quality of life. Research also shows that brain stimulation allows us to create a brain reserve which would protect us from neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's - another major benefit. You can see more research in the science section of Happy Neuron.

2) Can you explain how mental exercise benefits the brain?

Everything we do is based on the activation of neuronal networks. The more the brain circuits are activated, the stronger neuronal connections are, which makes it easier to access information, leads to better mental flexibility and improves reaction time. Brain stimulation exercises, like those developed by cognitive science experts from the Happy Neuron Web site, enable activation of these precise neuronal networks which access knowledge stored in the brain, such as in the memorization circuits, in the frontal lobe areas for contemplation/strategy exercises, in occipital lobes, and in various circuits involved in encoding shape and position of an object.

4) What types of mental activities are most beneficial?

It is a pitfall to pinpoint the ‘best’ mental activity or exercise. Indeed, the brain needs to train all aspects of cognition for full and sustained viability and mental agility. Thanks to its monitoring system, or “virtual coach,” the Happy Neuron program ensures that the user trains a cross section of mental activities. As a result, even if the Happy Neuron user loves doing language exercises, it will be regularly suggested to this person to do exercises involving memory, mental imagery, or reasoning.

Regarding the length of the workout, the highest attention level is required throughout the exercises, so we recommend brain stimulation sessions of 30 to 45 minutes. Also, just like physical exercise, mental exercise has to be done regularly. It is advisable to do two to three sessions a week with varied exercises to work all brain regions and avoid demotivation.

In conclusion, the biggest misconception is that one or two training sessions now and then will help you improve overnight. That is like believing you will recover miraculously from a neurodegenerative disease. Be sure you’re considering other types of stimulating activities, and watching out for lifestyle changes you may need, such as adequate sleep, proper diet, regular exercise and not taking drugs.

It is extremely important to have stimulating and varied brain activities as well as a healthy lifestyle all throughout life. Brain training programs, like Happy Neuron, are a fun way to break a mental sweat and ensure you’re keeping your mind healthy.

Recommended Reading:  Dental Floss For the Mind by Dr. Michel Noir

Related:   Curry: The Gateway To Vibrant Health

                Seven Threats To Young Skin

                Fish Oil Helps Burn Your Stored Fat